


The Care and Feeding of Your Neighbourhood Genius

by Liron_aria



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Smallville
Genre: BAMF Tess Mercer, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, cameo by Chloe Sullivan, cameo by Clark Kent, don't think too hard about the mechanics of the justice league here, set in S10 of Smallville, set in S2 of Arrow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27407308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liron_aria/pseuds/Liron_aria
Summary: For the Tumblr prompt:Lois/Tess/Felicity: adopting a pet togetherOr, a relationship in five scenes.
Relationships: Lois Lane/Tess Mercer/Felicity Smoak
Kudos: 1





	The Care and Feeding of Your Neighbourhood Genius

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Forlorn Kumquat (sara_wolfe)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sara_wolfe/gifts).



> Another old fic migrated over from Tumblr!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Arrow. The CW and DC Comics do.

“Busy day?”

Lois’ expression lit up as she saw Felicity enter the bullpen, a large bag of takeout in her hands. “Felicity!”

The blonde grinned and set the brown paper bag down on Lois’ desk. “Thai food from the restaurant on Kirkland, as requested.”

“Oh my god, you are amazing,” Lois replied fervently, tearing open the bag. “The entire department’s going off the rails with the whole serial killer thing, I haven’t slept in _weeks._ ”

"Or eaten, it looks like,” Felicity commented, perching on Clark’s desk and opening her container of fried rice more sedately. “What about Clark?”

Lois waved her hand absently. “Something in Africa.”

The elevator doors dinged open, and Tess strode out, her heels clicking against tile stridently as she rapped out orders.

“Sanchez, Merida, I want you on the FBI, do _not_ come back without at least a quote for each of you.”

"Yes, Miss Mercer.”

“Kennedy, did I or did I not put you on a plane to Baghdad?”

The reporter in question jumped, breaking away from his rather intimate conversation with a coworker. “Yes, Miss Mercer, sorry, I’m on my way to the airport right now.”

Felicity whistled lowly as Tess made her way through the bullpen, directing the people around her like a finely tuned orchestra. “Tess is a force of nature.”

Lois snorted. “Yeah, she’s -“

“Gorgeous.” Felicity’s eyes widened and she immediately backpedalled. “Did I say that out loud? Because you should totally pretend that I never said that out loud. Let’s do that.”

“ - busy,” Lois finished amusedly as the blonde babbled. “Although yes, she is pretty hot.”

Tess chose that moment to turn towards the pair of them. “Lane! Your report’s overdue!”

Lois groaned, setting her food down. “And a _slave-driver.”_

* * *

Felicity stopped by the restroom on her way out only to encounter Tess leaning over one of the sinks, her knuckles white as she held on to the edges and her face drawn.

“Tess?”

The redhead inhaled deeply and straightened, turning towards Felicity. “What is it, Felicity?”

“Uh, you just looked kind of tired.”

“It’s been a long week,” Tess dismissed, checking the mirror for any flyaway hairs or cracks in her indefatigable façade.

Felicity frowned. “You sure? Because between the League and the Planet and LexCorp you’re probably pretty strained - which I totally get, by the way, I have enough trouble keeping up with Queen Consolidated and Oliver, so probably don’t even sleep and I’m rambling again, aren’t I?”

Tess smiled slightly.

Felicity smiled awkwardly. “I’ll just, um, let you go then.”

“Have a nice night, Felicity,” Tess replies, walking away. She paused at the door and looked back, smirking. “And no, I don’t sleep.”

The door swung shut behind her, leaving Felicity blinking.

* * *

_«Dammit, I’m being bounced off servers all over the world, I’m not going to get through in time,»_ Felicity swore.

Tess’ fingers flew over the keys at her workstation in the Watchtower as she switched from watching Bart’s vitals to bring up Felicity’s screen. “There should be a backdoor in the Chinese server that’ll give you access if you time the signal right.”

_«Awesome. Wait, how did you know that?»_

“I wrote it in a few years ago.”

_«Oh my god Tess I love you.»_

Tess’ lips twitched and there was very much _not_ a blush dusting her cheeks.

* * *

Lois looked down at Tess, debating taking a picture of the redhead asleep at her desk. There were files and documents scattered around her, and Tess was resting her head on her arms. Her hair had come undone from its tight bun, and fell around her head and shoulders like a frazzled halo.

She must have been exhausted.

Lois shook Tess’ shoulder gently. “Tess. Tess, come on, it’s 3 AM Saturday morning.”

Tess gave a soft whine and lifted her head blearily, and Lois resisted the urge to coo. There was an imprint of her watch on her cheek, and her eyes were soft and unguarded, flyaway hairs sticking to her forehead and cheek.

“What…”

“Three in the morning, Tess. Everyone else has already gone home.”

Tess groaned, rolling the kinks out of her neck, and looking back down at the work on her desk. “Did you need anything?”

Lois’ eyebrows rose. “Tess, I’m going _home._ You should, too.”

Tess waved dismissively. “I still have a lot of things to get done.”

“You can barely keep your head up! Come on, Boss Lady, I’m calling you a cab.”

“What - Lois - what -”

Lois ignored Tess’ flustered noises and bustled her out of the office.

Ten minutes later, she smiled softly as Tess leaned against her, fast asleep.

* * *

“We should adopt Tess.”

Lois nearly choked on her tongue and looked at Felicity incredulously. “You do know she’s not a pet, right?”

Felicity blinked innocently. “I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

Lois snorted. “So you want to adopt my terrifyingly competent -”

“ - and hot -”

“- boss instead of, say, a puppy.”

“Lois, have you _seen_ Tess’ puppy eyes? Because let me tell you, those could give the real thing a run for their money.”

“Oh my _God_ , Felicity.”

The door slammed open just then, Tess, Clark, and Chloe’s raised voices filtering into the common area.

“ _Fine_ ,” Tess snapped viciously, glaring at the pair, “Go _ahead_ _._ ”

Clark’s frown deepened, but Tess was already storming away, ducking into a side corridor. Chloe crossed her arms, scowling, and Clark sighed heavily.

Lois and Felicity glanced at each other, before standing and following after Tess. They found her leaning against a window, face creased and fingers pressed against her temples.

“Tess?”

The redhead spun around sharply, trying to smooth out her expression. “Lois, Felicity. Hi.”

Felicity took in Tess’ faint trembles and overbright eyes, and asked gently, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine, Tess replied immediately.”

Lois narrowed her eyes. “You are _not._ ”

“Just… leave it alone,” Tess said tiredly, her breath hitching as she tried to rub her burgeoning tears away. “It’s nothing.”

Lois shifted protectively to Tess’ side as they heard footsteps grow closer, but no one bothered them.

Felicity tugged Tess’ hands away from her face. “Hey… It’s not nothing if it makes you feel like this.”

Tess shook her head. “No, it’s just - Clark and Chloe being Clark and Chloe. It shouldn’t bother me like this.”

Lois huffed. “You don’t have to be invincible all the time, Tess.”

Tess scoffed, her lips twitching. “Tell that to my shareholders.”

“Shareholders as a species are idiots,” Felicity replied archly, “QC’s are even worse. Just because they can’t see how smart and dedicated and fierce you are, and how practically all of the Planet and LexCorp think you walk on water, does not mean you have to prove yourself to them.”

Tess gave a weak laugh and Felicity pulled her into a hug. Tess buried her head in Felicity’s shoulder, and Lois rubbed her back soothingly.

Felicity glanced at Lois significantly. ‘We are totally keeping her,’ she mouthed.

“’m not a pet, Fel'city,” Tess mumbled into the blonde’s shirt.

Lois and Felicity stared at each other, gobsmacked. How had she known?!

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
